Game apparatus.



G. W. COURTNEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1906.

903,679. Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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lnwwtoz 1%4/(4. attoznego .G. W. COURTNEY. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1903.

903,679. Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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CYRUS WILLIAM COURTNEY, OF GRANTS PASS, OREGON.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908..

Application filed. January 18, 1908. Serial N 0. 411,478.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GYRUs WILLIAM COURTNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grants Pass, in the county of Josephine and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in game apparatus and its object is to provide a means with which there may be played a game in simulation of the well known game of base ball, so that the game may be played within a room and by two players and requires a considerable amount of skill to show proficiency.

The game apparatus comprises a gameboard with the usual base ball diamond inclicated thereon and a number of men which may consist of small blocks or may be of any form desired. There will be nine such men for each player or the same nine men may be used by each player in turn and a record kept of the points or runs made.

The invention comprises likewise a board to be attached to a wall or upon some elevated structure, and this board contains a hell or other signal means which when hit by a ball will give an audible or visual signal. Attached to the board is a rod, preferably telescopic for compactness, so that the rod may be reduced to a short length not longer than the board or may be extendedto a length of several feet. This rod is hinged to the board so that when telescoped it may be turned down upon the board for packing. At the end of the rod is secured a cord or string having a ball at its free end, and this string is of such length that when the rod is extended horizontally and the ball is swung through an arc with the end of the red as a center, the ball, if directed properly, will engage the signal means without coming in contact with the face of the board.

' The game is played by the player swinging the ball and attempting thereby to actuate the signal, and the success or failure will count as a hit orstrike, or under certain conditions, as a foul, and the game proceeds under the general rules of the game of base ball.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which drawings, 7

Figure l is a perspective view of'the several parts used in the playing of the game,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the telescopic rod retracted. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the rod in the elongated position. Fig. l is a cross section through the signal device, and Fig. 5 is a rear view of the signal device. v

There is provided a game board 1 upon which may be imprinted or otherwise displayed the simulation of a base ball diamond indicated at 2, and a suitable number of suitably characterized. men 3 are provided for the playing of the game. The game board 1 is designed to rest upon a table 1 or other suitable support.

There is provided a wall board 5, which may be a rectangular structure with any ornamental design upon its face, and in the drawings there is shown a representation of a batsman and catcher, with the home plate. The back of board 5 is recessed, as shown at 6, and in this recess there is housed a hell 7 supported by a cross strip 8 which may be set into the rear face of the board. This bell is carried by a bracket 9 fast on the strip 8, and this bracket carries a block 10 through which there is a central perforation, and one side of this block is formed with a neck 11 provided with exterior screw threads passing through the bell and into the bracket and so securing the bell to the bracket.

Passing through the block 10 is a pin 12 having an expanded head 13 at one end and sufficiently headed, as shown at 1d, at the other end to prevent it from escaping from the block in either direction. In the path of the head 1 1 is an arm 15 formed on one end of a clapper 16, which latter has formed in it a pivot-eye 17 through which passes a pivot 18 carried by the bracket 9. The block 10 is seated in a perforation 19 in the board 5 leading to the face thereof, and the stem 12 with its head 13 projects beyond the front face of the board 5 for a distance. The outer face of the head 13 is rounded, as indicated. The pin 12 with its head 18, is located adjacent to the representation of the bat of the batsman, and in one of the upper corners away from the head 13 the board 5 carries a block 20 by means of a screw 21 with inter posed washers 22 and 23 so that this block, while held to the board 5 may still be turned with the screw about the aXis thereof. The block 20 has hinged thereto another block 24: by means of a hinge 25, and projecting from this block 2% there is a tube 26. The tube 26 carries a similar tube 27 which in turn carries another tube 28, and the tube 28 carries still another tube 29 and the latter carries a tube 30, the end of which is closed by another block 31 carryinga screw-eye 32 or other suitable attaching device.

While I have described a telescoping arrangement consisting of five tubes there may be a greater or less number of tubes depending upon the length of the board 5, for the purpose of the telescoping of the tubes is to permit the closing thereof into a comparatively short length so that the whole structure may be folded down upon theboard without projecting beyond the edge of the same. These tubes arearranged to be drawn out to form a single structure of considerable length, which in practice will approach four feet in length, and the tubes when telescoped need not exceed ten inches in length. Each tube, except the largest one, carries a spring latch member 33, the head of which is coincident with an opening 3 1 in the tube, and when the tube is extended matches another opening 35 in the next larger tube. Now, when these tubes are pulled outwardly each latch 33 will pass through the opening 34 into the opening 35, and thus lock the tubes against either further extension or retraction.

lVhen it is desired to fold up the tube and turn it down against the board, then it is necessary after the several members have been telescoped, to turn the blocks 20 and 2 1 about the axis of the screw 21 until the hinge is in the lowermost position, when the telescoped tubes may be turned down upon the board.

Then it is desired to extend the structure then the hinge is turned uppermost and the tubes drawn out until the latches of each engage the next larger tube. Under these conditions the extended tubular structure is horizontal.

Fast to the eye 32 is a cord 36, at the free end of which there is secured a ball 37, which ball may be or may simulate an ordinary base ball and is of such weight as to be readily swung about an axis coincident with the end of the tubular structure when the latter is extended. The cord is of such length that the ball when swung toward the board 5, may

- strike the head 13 but will not quite touch the face of the board 5.

Assuming that the game board 1 is resting upon the table 4 and the other board 5 is hung upon the wall at a suitable height and that the telescopic structure is extended, then a player takes the ball 37 and stands away from the board 5 a suflicient distance to extend the cord 36 in about a horizontal posi tion in line with the telescopic structure. If the said structure be four feet in length when extended and the cord is about the same length, then the player stands about eight feet from the board 5. The players may number from one to nine on a side. The player who hasthe first turn swings the ball toward the head 13 and should he succeed in hitting the head 13 and so ringing the bell, then one of the men 3 representing this player is placed upon first base. If, however, the player miss the bell it counts as a strike and should the ball on the return movement strike the bell it counts as a foul. YVhen a player has either struck out or has succeeded in making a base run, then the next player of the side takes a turn. Should the second player strike the bell on the first trial, this counts as a two-base hit, and the player already upon first base moves to third and the second player has one of his men placed upon second base. Should the third player succeed in ringing the bell at the first trial it will count as a three-base hit and will bring home the other two players, while his one of the men is placed upon third base. If the fourth player shall ring the hell it will count as a home run and clear all of the bases. Should, however, a player after ringing the bell fail to catch the ball on the return, then that player is counted out. In case any player misses the bell three consecutive times then the player has made three strikes and is counted out. Should the ball be foul, as before described, it is counted as a strike and the second foul is also counted as a strike. After three players have been declared out, then the other side takes a turn with the ball or have their innings. The game also contemplates an umpire whose duties will be the same as the umpire in the out-door game. As in the out-door game, nine innings shall constitute a game and if at the end of nine innings no scores are made The cord may be swung from the ceiling or other suitably high point and the signal apparatus may be suitably mounted otherwise than hung upon the wall. The signal means and the game board may be mounted on a stand or other suitable support which may be made ornamental if desired.

lVhat is claimed is 1. A game apparatus comprising a suitable support, a signal mechanism mounted thereon, a horizontally projecting member on the support, said member being composed of a plurality of telescoping sections, and means for automatically locking each section to the next outer one, a cord attached to the inner section of the telescoping member, and a ball attached to the end of the cord, the length of the cord being such that the ball will engage the signal device but will not engage the support for the horizontally-engaging member.

2. A game apparatus comprising a suitable support, a signal means mounted thereon and projecting from the face of the support, a telescopic rod hinged to the support and rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said support, a cord carried by the said telescopic rod, and a ball carried by the cord.

3. In a game apparatus, a suitable support, a signal means having an operating member projecting from the face of the support, a telescopic rod hinged to said support, a cord at the end of the rod, and a ball at the end of the cord.

4. A game apparatus comprising asuitable support, a bell housed therein, an operating member for the bell projecting beyond the base of the support, a telescope rod hinged to the support, a cord carried by the end of the telescoping rod, and a ball carried by the end of the cord, said cord being of such length that the ball Will engage the belloperating means Without engaging the face of the support.

5. A game apparatus comprising a board adapted to be hung in a Vertical position, a bell carried by said board and having an operating means projecting horizontally be yond the face thereof, a telescoping rod hinged to the face of the board, a cord carried by said rod, and a ball carried by the cord.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CYRUS WILLIAM COURTNEY.

Vitnesses:

R. K. HACKETT, H. L. GRIKEY. 

